no clue where to begin with spec

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
ACER Predator Z271U quad HD. Do you think that's a good one for the price too?
Depends how much you like curved panels.

It's 1440p, high refresh, gsync, TN panel. You can get monitors like that for ~£450 at other stores like the Dell S2716DG. So it depends whether you want a slightly curved monitor for the extra price difference.

At 27" I wouldn't, I'd probably go with the PG279Q for the same money for the IPS panel.

But it's a matter of taste.

The PG279Q has gsync. There's no version of it that exists that does not have gsync. Some companies' listings are sometimes not everything they ought to be and omit details like that...

Also remember that when buying online, you can have different (better) return rights than when buying in a store. So that if there's a problem with the monitor or if you decide you just really don't like it, you can send it back more easily. Always check the terms and conditions especially do to with returns before buying anything expensive (including ofc PC Specialist - their Ts&Cs are fine in my opinion, but you should always check for yourself!).
 
I do like the look of the PG279Q but im not sure if i would like curved or ultrawide you know? this Asus ROG Strix XG32VQ looks really nice however I cant tell if it has gsync either again it says it has a variation of sync? and the reviews look good but its just the gsync that im not sure is on that, im now pretty split lol
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
I think we discussed that one before :) It has freesync, not gsync.

In the past, Freesync worked with AMD GPUs, and gsync with Nvidia GPUs. Gsync still only works with Nvidia GPUs, but recently Nvidia have started supporting freesync on their GPUs.

Freesync is the same kind of idea as gsync i.e. a variable refresh rate (VRR) technology that matches your monitor's refresh rate to the GPU's framerate, to eliminate stuttering and tearing. Freesync is different though. It usually has a smaller VRR window where the technology works. I think 'proper' gsync is usually 30hz-144/165hz. Freesync on that monitor is 48hz-144hz. This means that below 48hz, it can't synchronise the refresh rate and framerate output. But - what it can do is use LFC (low framerate compensation) which will do something like duplicate the framerate so that it stays synced. e.g. if your framerate fell to 45fps, it would duplicate the frames to so that the monitor was showing 90 frames per second (albeit 45 duplicated frames) with 90hz being within the 48-144hz window. I've not personally experienced LFC kick in, but I've read some people say it doesn't feel as smooth.

So to recap - The XG32VQ doesn't have 'true' gsync. You might be able to manually switch on gsync, which is really freesync. It's not guaranteed to work. There's no good reason why it shouldn't, but if it doesn't work (e.g. Nvidia driver issue) Nvidia never claimed it would so might not feel the need to fix it. And if it does work, the refresh window covered won't be as large as with a 'proper' gsync monitor.

Personally, I wouldn't chance it. It's great Nvidia have allowed people to use freesync on their Nvidia GPUs, but I wouldn't gamble a £600+ monitor on the chance it it'll work fine.
 
Ah i fully understand now that makes perfect sense thank you! its a shame really since they must be losing money but not fully supporting it but hey ho :) ANd that monitor was beautiful i thought. Okay back to the drawing board... I would like a widescreen if possible, 2k, 145hz+ and gsync.. If only it was easy to find one that had all of that but under £700 hahaha
 
I like the immersion wide screens. Theres certain monitors that look slightly wider, I guess that means its ultrawide monitor? I thought there was 3 sizes, regular monitor which I believe the PG279Q is? and then wide and then ultrawide? what do you recommend? Sorry for all the questions?
 
Also, been looking more into GPU and everyone is saying AMD ryzen is far superior to intel and is much cheaper currently, am I worth getting AMD?
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
Also, been looking more into GPU and everyone is saying AMD ryzen is far superior to intel and is much cheaper currently, am I worth getting AMD?

So you're talking about CPU's not GPU's.

Currently the undisputed gaming chip leader is the Intel i9 9900k, but not by much.

Intel are stuck on 14nm which they're having to squeeze every last drop out of because they're not able to move to 10nm for a while.

AMD are releasing their new 7nm chips probably around June this year and this is when we'll very likely see them take the lead over Intel for the first time in around 15 years or so.

AMD chips are much better pricewise to performance, but if you want all out performance, you go with intel and pay the premium.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/ryzen-7-vs-core-i7-9700k,38046.html

IMHO, I personally think the latest gen Intels are not fit for purpose, they run too hot for their design and you basically have to have a very efficient case and minimum of a closed loop cooler, which is all expensive. Anything less than that and their prone to throttling and damaging either the processor and/or the motherboard too.

BUT, I wouldn't buy an AMD processor at the moment either, not because they're bad, but because their upcoming releases are going to be SOOO much better. It's going to be a major step upwards and well worth waiting for.
 
Last edited:

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
As above, Intel lead on gaming performance. AMD are better value overall, in that the gaming performance isn't quite as high, but it's more than good enough and it's cheaper.

For monitor 'size' you have:
- aspect ratio (widescreen etc)
- resolution (number of pixels: more pixels per square inch = sharper picture)
- size in inches (measured diagonally across the screen)
- curved / not curved (and if curved, how curved is it)

The 'sizes' you're talking about aren't actually sizes but rather proportions/ ratios. Specifically aspect ratio - the width vs height of the screen.

Almost every monitor you will find, including the XG32VQ, PG279Q, XG258Q, XB271HUA, is 16:9 aspect ratio. This is known as widescreen.

monitor2.png monitor1.png monitor3.png
(Asus PG279Q) ----- (cheap Dell) ----- (Asus XG32VQ)

You can see the actual screen part of the monitor has the same proportions on each one, i.e. they're all 16:9 and so all have the same amount of width versus height.
If you have a widescreen TV (e.g. a 1080p TV) these are the same proportions as your TV. Just like nearly every TV these days is widescreen, the same is true of monitors.

Ultra-wide is 21:9 aspect ratio, and looks like:
monitor 4.png
(Asus PG348Q)
As you can see just by eyeballing the picture, it's got much more width versus height than the ones in the 16:9 images above.

Old monitors and TVs - by now considered very old, had 4:3 aspect ratio.
monitor4a.jpg
To the point these are sometimes called 'square' monitors.

There are some other aspect ratios like 16:10 which is like widescreen (16:9) but a bit taller. These are not very common, and more associated with business use than gaming.

Resolution is the quantity of pixels, and this goes hand in hand with aspect ratio.

Common resolutions for 16:9 (widescreen) are:
1920 x 1080 (1080p, FHD)
2560 x 1440 (1440p, 2k, QHD, WQHD)
3840 x 2160 (4k, UHD)

If you divide width (1920) by 16 and height (1080) by 9, you get the same number, hence the ratio

The ultrawide 21:9 resolution you'd be looking at is:
3440 x 1440

Monitors can be of these ratios, but of any size. When talking about the size of a monitor, this only means the length diagonally across the screen - the proportions of the monitor i.e. how wide it is versus how tall it is will be dictated by the aspect ratio / resolution.

Therefore, the PG279Q and XG32VQ are both widescreen. They have the same proportions. The XG32VQ is just a bit bigger.


Pixel density is the number of pixels per square inch.
More pixels per square inch = a sharper, more detailed picture.
Because the XG32VQ and PG279Q both are 1440p monitors, they both have the same number of pixels. But, the XG32VQ is 32" which means these pixels are 'stretched' across a wider area.
Some people find that 1920 x 1080 looks good on 24" monitors, but not so good on 27" monitors as by then the density isn't high enough.

And on the other hand, more pixel density isn't always a good thing. Many people find 4k to look beautiful on 32" screens for gaming. But on a 15.6" laptop screen, your eyes might not be able to really appreciate all those pixels in such a small area:
https://www.techradar.com/news/mobi...gorgeous-but-they-re-not-worth-it-yet-1291430
Some people even find 24" or 27" a bit small for 4k.

Some of the most popular monitor sizes vs resolutions are:
24" - 1080
27" - 1440p
32" - 4k

But ultimately it's personal taste for pixel density. Many people dislike 27" 1080p monitors, but many others like them. Or else there wouldn't be so many 27" 1080p monitors on sale.


There's also the question of whether the monitor is curved or not. The benefit of the curve is that if the monitor is particularly big or if you stuff your face into it, the sides work better with your peripheral vision. This is why the 21:9 ultrawides are nearly all curved (and one of the reviews I linked complained one of these wasn't quite curved enough). You can get 27" 16:9 curved monitors, but the curve is generally quite subtle on these because the monitors aren't huge enough to really need it. The curvature is measured like so:
https://www.viewsonic.com/library/entertainment/monitor-curvature-explained
Most 16:9 curved gaming monitors I've seen are 1800R (the XG32VQ is 1800R)

Theres certain monitors that look slightly wider, I guess that means its ultrawide monitor? I thought there was 3 sizes, regular monitor which I believe the PG279Q is? and then wide and then ultrawide?

So the PG279Q and XG32VQ and almost every monitor you're looking at are widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio). They have the same proportions of width and height. A couple of the monitors you've seen are ultrawide (21:9) like the PG348Q.

Some of the 16:9 (widescreen) monitors are larger than others, but these have lower pixel densities (since they have the same number of pixels, but stretched over a larger area) so there is a potential trade off there. Some larger monitors adopt a curve to help with peripheral vision - but whether that's a feature, a gimmick, or a necessary compensation for their size is open to debate.

The real problem is that there are hardly any places where you can go into a store and see all these things side by side, so you get to rely on google and my bad explanations ;)
 
Last edited:
Wow this is more than enough information that I expected, genuinely thank you all so much it makes perfect sense now!

I really like the ROG 3rd monitor, it looks sick! Also I now understand AMD and intel difference now.. I have built my desk etc and really wanted to get my pc sorted asap so don't really want to wait on AMD bringing out this new CPU. If you go back to the initial set up I made - is it better to get AMD or intel? it was a choice between intel i7 I believe but I also don't know if that's the best or AMD.
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
I really like the ROG 3rd monitor, it looks sick!
Which are we talking about, the Asus XG32VQ?

Ultimately any monitor is going to be personal choice. The XG32VQ has 'risks' in that it's got a lower pixel density than usual for 1440p (text can look jagged or 'wrong') and it has freesync, not gsync.

But it's cheaper than some of the others, curved, and a big screen, if you like those things.

Have a look at reviews before you buy, e.g. https://pcmonitors.info/reviews/asus-xg32vq/
pcmonitors.info do very good reviews

If you go back to the initial set up I made - is it better to get AMD or intel? it was a choice between intel i7 I believe but I also don't know if that's the best or AMD.
Well you shouldn't buy the original spec you drew up as it was not very balanced (too much RAM, sub-par GPU for the budget) etc as discussed.

In terms of AMD vs Intel, it doesn't matter a lot. The Intel i7 9700k will give higher performance. But an AMD R7 or even R5 CPU will be substantially cheaper and still give very solid performance.

This is the spec I posted, based on your original but tweaked, with an i7 9700K:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/intel-z370-pc/TVp!nkTQVU/ (£2086)

A similar spec with an AMD R7 2700x is:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-pc/QUdjw!q3fk/ (£1925)
With an R5 2600x instead of the R7, it falls to £1799.

In terms of the performance difference at 1440p:
relative-performance-games-2560-1440.png battlefield-1-2560-1440.png hellblade-2560-1440.png
You lose on average ~5% performance depending on the game, but save about £300 and still get very playable performance. Do you really need 134fps in BF1 instead of 126? And in other games like Hellblade, there's no meaningful difference. It's up to you really.

Also note that PCS have posted a new "Review" spec, the "VORTEX-ULTIMA-R". Their review specs are fixed configurations with a discounted price.
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/configure-review/296/
In this case, it's a similar spec to the Intel build but £180 more, for which you get a high end case, an RTX 2080 ti instead of the 2080, and mobo with a few more features. If you decide to stick with an Intel build it's worth considering.
 
Last edited:
Again, so much info I didn't know about. Thank you!! I'm learning a great deal :)

Yeah I did mean that monitor, it looks great but yeah it isn't fit for my needs or purpose then! I would like a curved/widescreen monitor I think then! I do really like the look of the ROG but possibly the other ROG monitor that you suggested might be my only option to keep cost low and use that voucher!

Wow, okay so pcs do configured pc's too? that's basically the pc that I config'd but it has a better GPU then? So basically, its only £180 more, I get a MUCH better GPU and a better case? The case looks a tad bit OTT hahaha! but none the less it does look great in fact!
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
What is your opinion on the pc of the month of feb?
Funny you should ask, I started a topic here:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?61912-Feb-PC-of-the-Month
I think it's pointless. The discount only nets you the Asus 2070 instead of the regular 2070. Performance difference will be fairly minimal. So I'd generally suggest people buy a custom spec that they actually want instead of something that's a deal but not really much different to what they could pick themselves for that money.

One could buy a PC with an R5 2600x and an RTX 2080 for significantly less:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-pc/PAzsVK02mU/


Yeah I did mean that monitor, it looks great but yeah it isn't fit for my needs or purpose then! I would like a curved/widescreen monitor I think then!
There is a gsync equivalent for a similar price: ACER Predator Z321QU except that it's out of stock where you have your voucher...

might be my only option to keep cost low and use that voucher!
Do you actually need to spend the voucher on something else afterwards? If not, you could just get one of the ~£900+ ultrawides, since I think ultimately these would fit best what you want.

If you do need the voucher for other stuff, the ROG PG279Q is a very safe buy. 'Safe' is probably selling it short, It's one of the top gaming monitors full stop. Not sure what you've been gaming on before but I'm assuming it'll be a massive upgrade.

If you look at the Steam Hardware survey, less than 4% of gamers even have 1440p monitors, and the huge majority of those will be plain old 1440p 60hz monitors. The PG279Q is already very high end
https://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/Steam-Hardware-Software-Survey-Welcome-to-Steam
 
well funny story, I don't even have a laptop or even a pc!! iv actually been a hardcore gamer on all sony systems and partially xbox. I have a ps4 currently, with multiple games and a sony bravia tv, I think its the model right before the introduced 4k I believe? everyone that sees it is actually shocked that isn't 4k as the picture quality is superb!!

so basically yeah this will be my first pc and monitor EVER. So I just want to make sure I do it right and don't have to upgrade for a while ya know?

with the voucher, I'm thinking of using the rest for keyboard, mice and mat. Possibly other amenities around my home since the voucher is useful ya know?
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
Well the Steam hardware survey only counts gamers on PC who use steam, for sure :)

The PG279Q or indeed any of the monitors we've been looking at are higher resolution and higher refresh rate than your TV, and will probably have a faster response time too.

If you need the voucher for other things too, then I think the PG279Q is one of the best options.

Also remember you have return rights, even if you open the box. So if you get a monitor, inspect it, and decide it sucks, you can still return it.

Separately to the 21 day policy above, and in accordance with your rights when you purchase goods online or over the phone, unwanted items can be returned even if you have opened them for inspection as long as you let us know within 14 calendar days from the day after delivery. Once you have told us you want to return an item, you should do so without undue delay and not later than 14 days from the day on which you informed us of your decision to cancel the order. You can examine the goods as you would in a shop but to obtain a full refund you must not start using them, install them or input any data/software. The goods must be returned in ‘as new’ condition and in their original packaging.
https://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/returns-cancellations-878-theme.html

You might lose a bit if you have to pay for shipping back, but it's still a good safety net.
 
Last edited:
Yeah true! I think it will be the PG279Q that ill go for thanks! yeah that actually helps too I didn't even realise that hahaha, this has all been a great help. I'm hugely considering AMD now because I mean that's about £300
 

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
If going with AMD, you could go with:


Case
FRACTAL MESHIFY C BLACK GAMING CASE (Window)
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X Six Core CPU (3.6GHz-4.25GHz/19MB CACHE/AM4)
​---Tom Clancy's The Division 2 FREE w/ select AMD Ryzen CPUs!
Motherboard
Gigabyte X470 AORUS Ultra Gaming: ATX, USB 3.1, SATA 6GBs - RGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 2933MHz ~ (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
8GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080 - HDMI, 3x DP GeForce - RTX VR Ready!
1[SUP]st[/SUP] Storage Drive
1TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III 3.5" HDD, 6GB/s, 7200RPM, 32MB CACHE
1[SUP]st[/SUP] M.2 SSD Drive
500GB WD Black™ M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 3400MB/s R | 2500MB/s W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive
NOT REQUIRED
Power Supply
CORSAIR 650W TXm SERIES™ SEMI-MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
STANDARD AMD CPU COOLER
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS 802.11N 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 6 to 8 working days
Quantity
1

Price £1,665.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure : https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/amd-am4-pc/pTmTdTKMbj/

The even lower price is because with a CPU like the 2600x, the stock cooler it comes with is fine. So a lot cheaper than the high end AIO water cooler for an Intel system.

Though you could go with the H100x CPU cooler if you wanted.

And possibly a 2 or 3 TB HDD instead of 1TB
 
Sorry for the long reply, I noticed on this config theres no option for RGB ram? its not a huge thing but I did fancy having it since it didn't cost that much extra, but I do like that config and helps keep the cost down for sure!!
 
Top